The Department of Health (DOH) emphasized that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines has not yet approved any mpox vaccines for use in the country.
As of August 18, the DOH reported 18 confirmed mpox cases detected this year.
The DOH also highlighted that efforts to enhance mpox testing in the country are underway.
Although mpox transmission remains low, the DOH has already requested 2,500 mpox vaccine doses to be given to high-risk individuals.
DOH: No FDA-approved mpox vaccine available in the Philippines yet
Sep 16, 2024 07:52 AM
At a glance
The Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, Sept. 16, stressed that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Philippines has yet to approve any mpox vaccines in the country.
“Wala pang inaprubahan ang FDA na bakuna ng mpox sa Pilipinas (The FDA has not yet approved any mpox vaccine in the Philippines),” DOH Secretary Teodoro Herbosa said in a press briefing.
Herbosa made this clarification after the DOH monitored an establishment claiming that all its workers were vaccinated against mpox. This claim, he said, was posted on social media.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/9/13/false-sense-of-security-doh-warns-public-against-illegal-mpox-vaccines
“Kung meron silang nakuha na bakuna, hindi ito rehistrado sa FDA (If they obtained any vaccine, it is not registered with the FDA),” Herbosa said. “All vaccines, whether from private or public sources, must be registered with the Philippine FDA. If they are not registered, they are considered contraband,” he added.
Herbosa said the social media post would be investigated.
The DOH is also planning to seek help from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) for the possible filing of a case against the establishment for promoting the use of a “contraband” vaccine.
The FDA, he added, may also confiscate the “illegal” mpox vaccine.
Herbosa noted that, in agreement with the World Health Organization (WHO), mpox vaccines would be prioritized for areas experiencing outbreaks due to the limited global supply.
Mpox cases
As of Aug. 18, Herbosa said there are 18 confirmed mpox cases in the country this year.
Of this number, Herbosa said “five have recovered” and have been released from isolation.
The mpox patients are from the National Capital Region (NCR), Calabarzon, and Cagayan Valley.
The two most recent cases, Herbosa said, are males from NCR and Region IV-A. “We’re doing contact tracing, and we are monitoring them,” he added.
Herbosa noted that of the 18 cases identified by the DOH, no one else has been infected.
“This is very good because wala silang tinatawag (they don’t have what we call) na epidemiological link,” Herbosa said. “When the patient is isolated, humihinto yung pagkalat ng sakit (the spread of the disease stops),” he added.
Testing for mpox
Herbosa noted that testing for mpox is also being strengthened.
Aside from the Research Institute for Tropical Medicine (RITM), the DOH said East Avenue Medical Center is ready to conduct mpox PCR testing.
The following other subnational laboratories, which will also be conducting mpox testing, are currently undergoing training for reactivation: Baguio General Hospital, Lung Center of the Philippines, San Lazaro Hospital, Vicente Sotto Medical Center, Southern Philippines Medical Center, Western Visayas Medical Center, and Bicol Medical Center.
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Herbosa explained that physicians and dermatologists recommend testing for mpox.
Mpox vaccines
While mpox transmission remains low, Herbosa said that the DOH has already requested 2,500 doses of vaccines. “Hopefully, we will receive these in the next few months,” he said.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/22/doh-plans-to-secure-vaccines-effective-against-mpox
Herbosa said that, according to the WHO, countries with mpox outbreaks would be prioritized for mpox vaccines, particularly the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/22/why-the-mpox-vaccine-is-not-yet-available-in-the-philippines
Since there is no mpox outbreak in the country, Herbosa said that the Philippines is not a “priority.”
Meanwhile, Herbosa reiterated that there is no need to panic over mpox as the transmissibility remains low.
“Di ako masyadong takot, kahit di pa dumarating yung bakuna na iyan, kayang-kaya natin i-control (I'm not too afraid, even if that vaccine hasn't arrived yet, we can definitely control it),” he said.
READ:
https://mb.com.ph/2024/8/15/tamang-praning-lang-doh-urges-caution-without-panic-amid-mpox-emergency
To curb the spread of mpox, Herbosa underscored the importance of continued testing and educating the public about mpox transmission. He also reiterated that “cleanliness” is key to mpox prevention.
While the DOH has already requested mpox vaccines, Herbosa said the Philippines might not need them. “Nakapakadaling i-control ang mpox (It's very easy to control mpox),” he explained. “Hindi ko kailangan ng vaccine (I don't need a vaccine),” he added.
Should mpox vaccines become available in the country, Herbosa said they would be given to high-risk individuals.
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